Shepherd’s Harvest (a.k.a. the weekend haul)

For those of you who live in or around the Twin Cities, MN and did not make it to the annual Shepherd’s Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival, you missed out. I’m so glad to see how much this festival grows each year. Just in the short time that I have been spinning (has it been four years already?) the vendor section has grown to fill three large buildings (quite a jump from the initial one building). That, plus the many classes, music, events, demonstrations and, of course, the knitter/spinner’s source of material…

From sheep to alpaca, angora goats to bunnies, kettle corn to french fries this should be on your list of places to acquire stash. So, make note for 2009… we’ll be there.

Obviously, we didn’t go just for the animals. I use this festival to build my spinning stash for the following year. I was surprisingly restrained this year (probably because I still have quite a bit unspun from last year… and maybe the year before… and maybe even the year before that, but who’s keeping track?). Restrained enough, that I’m not ashamed to show you what I hauled in:

Some great finds include a pound of Mulberry Silk (undyed), a pound of combed Cormo top (incredibly lofty), some beautifully dyed Merino blends, and a new fiber for me to try, bamboo… should be an interesting experiment. If only I had finished up what I currently have on the wheel, I’d be able to play with new fiber tonight.

Note: Virginia made a few nice acquisitions of her own, including some beautiful organic cotton, which I’m sure will be featured at some point on this here blog.

I don’t know Dan. Looks like you bought too much stuff. Especially if you already have some at home. Hey, I know! Send it all to me, then you don’t have to feel guilty anymore.
Gorgeous stuff. I’d love to make it to that bash one year…it’s only about a 14 or 15 hours drive…